Black and White
by Captain Luludee
Summary: Oneshot His wings were black; hers were white. But despite their differences, they only truly cared for one another, no matter how long it took to realize it. PoR/RD


_A/N: Here is a sweet little oneshot. It's a series of memories that span events far in the past, before PoR, to a little after RD_, _culminating in a lovely little tale filled to the brim with lovin'. I do hope you enjoy._

_Disclaimer: Don't own Fire Emblem PoR, RD, or the characters created therein._

* * *

Black was his color, his identity. He liked to think the color described him; cold, emotionless, empty. The feelings which any other color provoked held no meaning for him. The passion of red, the happiness of yellow, the valor of blue. He had no use for any of those things. Black was who he was, in color, and in spirit. He was the Raven King.

The purity of white was all that could describe her. Pure beauty, pure thoughts, pure intentions. She could see inside his soul, see the many colors that he denied in himself. She smiled with secret pleasure as he scoffed at her in mock annoyance. She was pure white in every way. She was the Heron Princess.

"I do wish you would refrain from peering into my soul," he would say, "it's quite rude."

"What are you afraid I will find?" she would reply in the ancient tongue.

"Secrets are meant to be just that; secret."

"You keep secrets from me?"

"Well, I'm sure I would, if such a thing were possible."

Her quiet laughter filled him with an emotion which he immediately denied, but despite his best efforts, he could not hold back a smile.

"To make things fair, all my secrets are yours."

"Hmm . . . I must admit, I'm intrigued."

"Ask me anything, and I'll tell you the truth."

"Give me some time," he replied, "I'm sure I'll think of something."

He knew she would never lie to anyone, she was simply incapable. Nevertheless, her promise was special to him, though he would not admit as much.

The two shared a special bond that neither fully understood. They had been friends since childhood. He had always been her silent protector; watching over her, hoping no one would notice. She had always known him better than anyone, and not solely because of the powers she possessed. It amazed and scared him when he first realized this. He told himself he hated the way she knew what his actions would be without having to ask, but he could not deny that a part of him was grateful for it.

She gave him her trust, despite the fact that he had not earned it. No matter who called his loyalty into question, she never doubted that he had a good reason for the things he chose to do. And she firmly believed that no matter whom he betrayed, she was the sole person he would always be loyal to.

Her favorite memory was her first kiss. It had started as a dare. He had thought himself too old for silly games, but there was something about this dare that he found himself unable to refuse. And so for days he tried to find her alone. Each time he would succeed, something held him back, and he found it impossible to follow through. Multiple attempts only ended in frustration.

"What? Are you too chicken to kiss her?" he was asked, to which he would only smile in a conspiratorial manner and say that the job would get done.

The next night that he found her alone, she was staring up at a majestic, full moon. He watched her from behind a tree, wondering what she was thinking.

"Who's there?" she called, jumping slightly as a dried leaf crunched under his foot.

He sighed and showed himself.

"It's only me."

She relaxed her tense body as he walked out of the shadows and stood by her side.

"Will you watch the moon with me?" she asked, "I found myself drawn to it tonight. I don't know why."

"Why not? I have nothing else to do."

He lifted his eyes to the sky. It was dark enough for the celestial lights to shine with all their glory. Even he had to admit that the scene was breathtaking.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered after a long silence.

"Yes, it is," he replied, no longer looking at the moon. As the soft wind blew it made strands of hair kiss her face, and he tried hard to give a name to what he was feeling, only to decide that it would be better if he didn't.

"Close your eyes," he commanded softly.

Without a word, she obeyed.

"Why would you do that?" he asked her, taking note of the way the moonlight lit her pale, perfect skin.

"Do what?"

"Why would you do what I told you to without even asking why?"

"Don't you know by now," she asked, wearing a smile he knew he had never seen before, "I would do anything if you asked me to."

Without hesitation he moved a hand to her chin and held it between his fingers. He looked down at her closed eyes and smiled. Dare or no dare, he would have kissed her that night.

She didn't tell him that she knew the truth, and she didn't stop him. She let him kiss her tenderly, imagining that it was a kiss he had saved just for her. When it was over, she didn't question it, and he was grateful for that. They simply went their separate ways with a secretive smile that no one ever understood.

When he was asked about it later, he only said that it was a boring game that he no longer wanted to play. He didn't understand why, but he didn't want to admit that he kissed her because he was dared to.

It seemed to him that he only ever remembered the bad times. As he lay alone at night, caught in the space between thinking and dreaming, the same memory would always play in his mind. It was the memory of the first time he ever saw her cry. He could not ever recall being more heartbroken. He was not one to be easily moved or touched in anyway, but to see her beautiful, innocent eyes weep was almost more than he could bear. It left him speechless. He could do nothing more than utter her name in a painful whisper.

When she would not look at him, he became frightened.

"Did someone hurt you? Just tell me who it was and I swear to you, I'll tear him apart with my beak."

Her tearful eyes met his, and the way she looked at him cut him like a knife. For the first time, he came to the painful realization that the only person who could hurt her so deeply was himself.

"You know exactly who it was," she said, her voice full of bitterness.

She jumped up suddenly and tried to tear passed him, but he was too quick for her.

"Please," he said with desperation as he held her firmly by the shoulders. It was a word he seldom uttered, and hearing it come from him made her body soften against her will, and she trembled, as she always did, under his touch. But still, she would not look at him.

"Whatever I did . . . I swear . . . I'll make it right."

"Will you?" she whispered with a quivering voice.

"Yes . . . I will. Please . . . just . . . just let me . . ." he urged, unable to finish his sentence. He wanted to ask to hold her; comfort her, but he could not bring himself to.

She wanted to push him away. She wanted to scream at him, or at the very least be repulsed by his touch. His sincerity and concern, however, touched her in a way she never would have imagined it could. Without piercing into his soul, she could tell that he wanted nothing more than to comfort and protect her. This realization brought with it a rush of conflicting emotions which crippled her. She did not speak, she did not run away; she fell. Collapsing into his arms, she let him surround her in a comforting embrace as she wept.

He closed his eyes and cradled her body with his own. Her delicate frame shook and he cursed himself for ever entering her tent. A fleeting wish ran through his mind, but as much as he wanted to walk away, he knew he could never leave her, and so he only held her tighter.

"I . . . I'm sorry," he whispered into her golden hair.

When she had finally fallen asleep, he laid her on her bed and wiped the last of her tears from her peaceful face. Even now, she was exquisitely serene. He clenched his jaw to hold back his shame as he silently watched her sleep. Now was not the time for shame, he told himself, he had a promise to keep.

She had always loved him, never thinking to question when it had started or why. It was just something that seemed inherent, like it had always been there from her earliest recollections. Nothing he could ever do would change that. As much as she loved him, she never really believed that he could return her feelings, not for a very long time.

The day she first realized there was hope, was the day he rescued her from that tall, dark tower filled with pitiable feral ones.

He was the last person she expected to be her rescuer, and yet she instinctively knew who he was as soon as he stepped foot into the room, even though he wore a disguise covering his face. Her heart beat faster and she had to force herself to stay calm.

Once outside the tower, he stripped himself of his disguise. She tried very hard to hide the effect his sudden appearance had on her. In truth, she could not remember a time when she had ever been happier.

He greeted her with the same alluring smile that had always made her a little weak, and the same voice that had always reached so deep inside her that she almost wanted to cry as he said her name.

"It's been twenty years, but I'm still quite an eyeful. Don't you agree?" he asked with a wink. Yes, he was still the man she remembered.

"Yes, yes. You're very handsome," she replied with a soft laugh.  
"Yeah, I haven't changed much, eh? And you knew it was me back there right away, didn't you? Ah, I'm glad you survived. It's very good to see you again."  
**"**Yes . . . I am also pleased," she said, her voice slightly sad.

More than anything she wanted to run into his arms and tell him how much he was missed, but she could not bring herself to. She knew that it was neither the time nor the place. They were surrounded by enemies.

"Look over there!" she cried, directing his attention to a group of their comrades who had engaged the enemy in battle.

"Oh very good. This will work out nicely. . ."

Without another word he took her hand in his and lead her into the surrounding forest. His touch still sent a tingling chill through her, but she put it out of her mind.

"We can rest here for a moment," he said releasing her when he thought they were far enough into the forest. "How do you feel? Are you hurt? Are you hungry?"

"No, no. I'm fine," she replied, "I'm just happy to see you."

He turned away from her, not wanting her to read what he was feeling.

"Alright then, we'll just-"

He stopped speaking and help back a gasp as he felt two slender arms wrap around his chest and a head nestle in between his wings.

"I've really missed you," was all she said.

His face softened and he let out a sigh, suddenly not caring if she knew what he felt. Taking her hand, he turned and pulled her into an embrace. She seemed to fit perfectly in his arms and he could not stop himself from gently kissing the top of her head. As he did so, he marveled at how she could remain the same innocent girl he had always known after everything she had been through.

"I missed you too, my little bird."

She bit her lip to hold back her tears and the knowledge that this beautiful moment could not last forever. At least now she knew how much he cared for her, she told herself.

It took more for him to see it himself. The day he first realized how deep his feelings ran was a day he would never forget. That memory, like so many others he possessed, was difficult to categorize as good. It had elements of beauty, but for the most part, it was not a memory he enjoyed recalling. Still, it came on dark nights when sleep eluded him.

They were in the middle of an intense battle, and she was staying close to him as she had promised him she would. He could tell that she was more tired than she would admit, and he wanted to keep an eye on her.

She sang to him as he battled. Her melodic voice surrounded him; rejuvenating and invigorating. It was just what he needed as another onslaught of enemies rapidly approached them.

He looked around in agitation. They had somehow managed to get separated from their companions, and though he could vaguely hear their shouts in the distance, he did not see them. Still, the number of enemies was nothing that he couldn't handle, and so he delved into battle.

One by one, he dispatched them, hardly receiving a scratch himself. Once they were taken care of, he turned to her, signaling that it was safe. She flew to him and sang the Galdr. When she finished, they both began to fly off in search of their comrades. She was a little ways ahead of him, and she did not hear him call out as an unexpected enemy came out of nowhere. He had no choice but to stop and fight his challenger.

Just as he dealt the final blow to the ax paladin, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. A scream of pain rang through the air; her scream. He caught his breath and turned just in time to see her fall from the sky as the archer who hit her ran off in search of other prey.

"No," he whispered, too stunned to move. "No!"

The gravity of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks and he tried to call her name, forgetting that he was still in raven form. Instead he let out a shrill, piercing scream as he flew to where he had seen her fall. She lay in a heap on the desert ground, an arrow protruding from her abdomen.

He rushed to her, quickly reverting back to his human form. He dropped to the ground beside her and pulled her into him, resting her fragile head in the crook of his arm. Blood turned her pure white robes red, and covered his hand as he placed it over her wound. He looked down at her, vision slightly blurred.

"I . . . I'm sorry . . . I was . . . careless," she said with difficulty.

"Hush! Don't talk. You're going to be fine."

"No . . . you told me . . . to be . . . I wasn't . . . careful en-"

"Please, don't talk. It's not your fault. I shouldn't have let you get so far ahead of me. I'm supposed to be protecting you."

"Don't blame yourself . . . you've always . . . protected . . . I'm . . . grateful-"

"Don't you dare talk like that! I have to get help. You're going to be fine."

"There's no . . . time . . . you have to know . . . that I . . . I-"

"No! Whatever you have to say it can wait. You're going to be okay, you have to be. Don't you understand, little bird? There's no life for me without you."

The words came out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying, but once he heard them aloud, he knew how true they were. He had already lost her once; believing she died in the massacre. To lose her for real would be too much for him to bear.

He blinked away tears as she smiled up at him, blood dripping from her lips. She fell unconscious in his arms, and without another thought, he picked her up and took to the air in search of the priestess.

He had gotten her help in time, and she lived, but that day forever changed him; a little for the better, a little for the worse. It was true that he realized he was in love with her on that dreadful day, and he always regretted that. He could not help but wish that such a beautiful thing could not have been discovered in an equally beautiful way. He hated the memory of that day. He hated to recall how he wept tears of relief and confusion that night when it was all over, but the fact remained that no amount of wishing would ever change anything. The only thing left for him to do was to be thankful.

He found himself remembering that day that now seemed so long ago. It would flash in his mind often and without provocation. The result was always the same; he needed to be near her. And so he would seek her out, and they would talk and laugh, and for a while, he allowed himself to be a different person. With her, he was the opposite of his self-image. With her, he was happy.

"Do you remember when you told me I could ask you anything . . . anything at all, and you would tell me the truth?" he asked her one day as they stood together in the heart of Serenes Forest.

Light reflected off the leaves, making the shine with brilliance, and they fell like golden snowflakes, landing with a soft rustle at their feet.

"Of course I do. Have you thought of the perfect question to ask me?" she answered with a raise of her eyebrow.

He looked up into the trees that surrounded them and took the strength he needed. He could not think of a more ideal place to ask the question that had been inching it's way up from the back of his mind for as long as he could remember. He had finally stopped deluding himself into thinking he didn't care about the answer.

"Do you . . . could you . . . love me?"

"That one is easy to answer," she smiled, turning to him and placing her hand in his, "and I will tell you the absolute truth."

He looked down at her with expectancy, and the assuredness in her eyes put him at ease.

"Yes," she laughed, a tear coming to her eye, "I always have."

"That's good to hear," he smiled, pulling her into an embrace.

As she looked into his eyes, she said a silent prayer of thanks for this moment she had wished and waited for for as long as she could remember.

"Now you really are _my_ sweet little bird," he said, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face.

"Kiss me," she whispered in reply, moving her finger slowly in a line across his lips.

He obeyed with pleasure, and their lips connected passionately. And for a while they were moving blissfully in and out of consciousness as they lived out a fantasy they had both been denying themselves.

Later as they lay side by side, hand in hand on the forest floor, she heard three words that took her breath away.

"I love you."

She met his gaze and read the truth of his words in his eyes.

"I love you more than I ever thought I could. I'm not sure when it happened, but I'm not afraid to tell you, right here, right now."

"That's all I've ever wanted," she said through her tears.

He was black. She was white. The two were opposite in every way, and yet at that moment they both knew they were meant for one another. They knew that they had always shared a bond of love that united them in a way that exceeded all expectation; a love as clear as black and white.

* * *

_And they lived happily ever after, hee hee. Do let me know what you think._

* * *


End file.
